Acute Pain

APS, the acronym for Acute Pain Service or Anesthesia Pain Service (depending on the hospital), is a consultant service run by the Department of Anesthesia.  This consultant service provides analgesic care and expertise across the Calgary area hospitals.  The APS team consists of Anesthesia physicians and a core group of specialized APS nurses, providing 24/7 care.   Our primary focus is for post-operative patients with moderate to severe pain, but also for select patient cohorts with acute, or acute on chronic pain.  We provide specialized procedures and techniques, including, but not limited to:  neuraxial analgesia, peripheral regional anesthesia & analgesia, intravenous therapies including ketamine and lidocaine, and complex narcotic regimens.  Teaching and research rounds out the spectrum of APS activities.